Club Med Kani
I know I’m not dead, but I am in heaven.
When I woke in my gorgeous beachfront bungalow that first morning and looked out over the sand and through the palm trees to the turquoise lagoon beyond, I knew that Club Med Kani was someplace special. This is truly one of those days when I proudly say out loud that I love my job.
We arrived around midnight after a short 4 hour flight from Singapore and were greeted at the airport by our Club Med rep, actually checking in at the airport and starting our experience from the get go.
The transfer to the resort was right out the door, and we literally walked out of the terminal and across the road to the wharf where our high speed launch was waiting to zip us over to Kani. The trip took about half an hour and in the darkness we could just make out other islands by their twinkling lights in the distance. Our arrival at the resort pier was met with cheering and warm smiles from the GO’s who were out to greet us, waiting with cool drinks and face towels so that we could refresh after our journey. A warm and welcoming start to our stay.
The Maldives is a tropical nation in the Indian Ocean composed of 26 ring-shaped atolls, which are made up of more than 1,000 coral islands. It’s known for its beaches, blue lagoons and extensive reefs. Club Med have two resorts here, Kani which caters to different budgets and is more family friendly with accommodation ranging from interconnecting garden to five star over the water luxury bungalows, and Finolhu which is smaller and more intimate with all bungalows having their own pools and private spaces. Both are fully inclusive and once there, all you need to do is relax and enjoy.
My deluxe bungalow was situated on the calmer side of the island with a coral fringed lagoon offering enormous opportunities to snorkel and explore on one side and a surf break for those so inclined on the other. There were many breaks around the area and the GO’s were happy to whisk patrons away for a day at a particular surf spot further afield. As most breaks were formed off resorts where the reef fringed the island, the islands imposed a small charge to surf them and some would not allow outside surfers in, keeping their particular break exclusive. Apparently a group of pro surfers was staying in the resort adjacent to us recently and they had a ball playing in the huge swells.
While at Kani, we were lucky to visit the overwater bungalows as well. With separate private spaces including a lounge bar and sitting areas, upgraded amenities, special excursions and extra attentive service, these five trident spaces certainly didn’t disappoint. With private steps into the aqua lagoon, absolutely beautiful accommodations and a bathtub looking out to sea, what more could you want! The rotunda bar at the end of the jetty, accessible only to suite guests served top shelf liquor and snacks, all complimentary and was the perfect place to lounge on the suspended nets and enjoy the sun. Champagne by the pool, room service, special gifts and five star bungalows, definitely my upgrade for my next visit!
We also went over to Kani’s sister property the Finolhu Villas for a day. With private plunge pools in every villa, whether beach side, sunrise or sunset overwater villa bungalows, this resort was the epitome of luxury. The rooms were huge and absolutely beautifully appointed. The restaurant has glass bottomed floors so you can sit and sip a cocktail and watch the fish swim past, the sublime food prepared by cutting edge chefs and attention to detail all elevated Finolhu to the next level. White sandy beaches fringed with palms and water so clear and blue that I don’t have words to describe it, breathtaking. The main bar area was flanked by the resort pool, leading down to the beach where a swing mounted in the water made for the perfect photo opportunity, especially with cocktail in hand! An amazing afternoon spent indulging in the best of the best. I had to pinch myself and we constantly reminded ourselves how lucky we were to be able to experience this.
The weather on the first day was magical, blue skies and warm breezes. I wandered around the island in the morning with my camera, every photo was Facebook worthy, watching the hermit crabs scuttling through the sand and intrigued by the way they climbed the trees. It was literally impossible to take a bad picture of this place. I could bore you with endless clichés of how beautiful it was, the colour of the water and the invigorating feel of the warm breeze on my wet skin, but I think you get the picture. In true Club Med style, every employee you met, whether a gardener or a server in the restaurant or bar, gave you a huge grin and greeting, really endorsing the ethos that when you stay here you do become a part of the family. The return rate for visitors to Club Med resorts runs around the 70% mark, and during my stay I met many GM’s (guests) who had been here before and loved it so much they had to come back. As I fit into this category, having stayed at six other resorts, I loved bumping into GO’s (Club Med Gentile Organisers or staff) that I had previously met at other resorts and when travelling with our kids, we always reunited with a GO at the kid’s club who recognised them.
The food here as usual, was exquisite, and while I tried to stay true to my resolution of minimal carbs and sugar, this quickly went wayside. The variety of food offered , different cuisines and all freshly made and plated to order elevated the dining experience enormously. No cheap and nasty buffets here. Dining in the Velhi restaurant was sublime, and the a la carte option at Kandu offered a break from the hustle and bustle of the main restaurant. For those feeling peckish outside of regular dining times, Kaana offered finger food for that quick snack. There was always plenty and it was always fresh. For our group the chocolate bread proved so popular we decided to take a loaf for the table at each meal.
There was so much to do here apart from snorkelling and lazing on the beach. During the day activities are offered for those wishing to join in, literally the choice is yours to do as much or as little as you like. I loved the gym with its glass walls offering unencumbered views of the sea while you slog away on the treadmill. Yoga and Pilates classes are held in here when the weather is bad, and on the beach when it is good. Glorious!
Two snorkelling tours a day ensure that you get to visit an array of different reefs offering chances to spot the most amazing sea life and scuba tours were also organised for those wanting to go deeper. We spotted stingrays, sharks, turtles and numerous colourful species of fish, starfish and nudibranchs. Suite guests get a special trip all to themselves so they can experience the reefs without all the hustle and bustle.
I had planned to visit the Blue Lagoon while I was there but unfortunately the weather was not so accommodating with overcast skies and the occasional squall. This was put on the back burner until my next visit, but is definitely one trip that is worth doing. Another tour I was disappointed not to be able to do was the Turtle Safari, where you are taken out to a particular spot the turtles like to come to feed, so are guaranteed interactions with them. Tours to Male, the capital, a submarine tour around the reefs for those that dislike snorkelling and scenic flights are all on offer. We saw the floatplane arriving to pick up a group who wanted to fly over the atolls and experience the Maldives from the air. Oh how I wish I was up there with them!
Fishing charters, surfing, speed boat charters, parasailing, tubing, water-skiing and all manner of water sports, jet skis... you name it, Club Med offers it.
Evenings were certainly not dull, in true Club Med form the drinks were flowing and the party was pumping. The night started at the Sunset Bar where, true to it’s name, you could sit in the comfy cane lounges and look over the lagoon to the setting sun. Then on to the Iru bar for a few drinks after dinner and to prepare for the evening’s festivities. Each evening a show was put on by the GO’s however I have to be honest and say that of all the Club Meds I have visited, the shows here were the worst. Ok if you want to kill a bit of time, but the humour was aimed more towards European sensibilities and fell a bit flat for Aussie tastes. I love joining in on the “Crazy Signs” dancing, perhaps a nod to my past Zumba Instructor history, and got right into that and the free dancing that followed. Isn’t it funny how tired you get relaxing though! I found the latest I could stay up was about midnight and as I’m not a huge drinker I gladly fell into my beautiful king size bed every night.
Sunrise walks around the island taking about half an hour, or a workout in the gym started my day and I loved searching for the iguanas that scuttled up the trees when disturbed and the long legged birds darting in and out of the greenery. The whole island was immaculately tended and around every corner I was greeted with a wide smile and warm greeting.
This is why I love Club Med. While I didn’t see many children when we were there, the Kids Club catered to the young ones, while the beautiful Spa catered to those of us requiring a little pampering. One of my favourite pastimes was strolling along the jetty and just watching the fish in the crystal blue waters, darting around. I could sit there for hours!